Next Year in Jerusalem

By: Raymond Murray
In-House Review - Apr 03 2008

If you are Jewish and revel in Jewish-themed films or if you are gay and want to see everything on the subject on coming out, then this shot-on-video independent production might be for you. If you are Jewish, gay or Christian or straight and you have a bit higher standards for the films you choose to rent/buy, then be a bit wary. Serious to a fault, this story follows two non- cousins: Shai, a 20-something Jewish boy who leaves his strict upbringing to move to Greenwich Village where he changes his name to Charlie and lives the life of a typical gay boy (goatee, slutty one-night stands, piercings for days, queeny friends); and Emmanuel, who lives at home, continues to be religious and be "good." But when Emmanuel's parents arrange a marriage for him, he must face the fact that he is gay. The two young men are naturally drawn to each other and find comfort in each other's arms. While this script reads like it might work, the lighting (harsh), the acting (terrible) and the characters (the parents all seem like they fell off a touring bus for "Fiddler on the Roof" -- Oy, vey!) all contribute to destroy any pretense of serious drama while making many scenes inadvertently funny. Yet with all of my kvetching, I have to admit the film is a guilty pleasure. I overcame all of its faults and enjoyed the melodrama. My only problem is the title -- with a plot strikingly similar to Kiss Me Guido, should it have been called, Kiss Me Yeshiva Boy!? And if you've ever wondered whether you keep your Yarmulke on your head while having gay sex, the answer is yes!

By: Amos Lassen

"Next Year in Jerusalem"

A Beautiful Film

Amos Lassen
Water Bearer Films brings us the DVD release of the 1997 film, Next Year in Jerusalem. It is the story of an Orthodox Jewish family living in Brooklyn. The oldest son is living at home with his parents and younger brothers and is being pressured to marry the girl his parents have chosen. He, however, is slowly beginning to realize that he is gay. He becomes reacquainted with a school friend and watches as he comes out and this pushes him to come out as well.
There is a great deal of talent is very cheaply budgeted film. The acting by the two Jewish gay guys is nothing short of wonderful as are the women. The story is deeply complex--one guy is far in the closet about being gay, the other is far in the closet about being Jewish. Their love pulls them out of their closets and the story and the dialog is excellent. Here is a beautifully important story dealing with gay love as opposed to religius conflict.
The story is an unusual coming-out story. The Jew is afaid of being considered unorthodox because he loves someone of his own sex and the gay guy is afraid of being Jewish because he will not be accepted. As the two men gradually evolve, the story becomes intense and love blossoms and wins out. I identified so much with this film that it was painful to watch as I saw so much of myself in it. I just feel badly that it could not have been made on a larger budget as the story is so important.